Splints
by Cead
Summary: The past doesn't go away, the future doesn't hold back, and the present isn't that much better either. Time-jumpy, shippy, fluffy at times: LeonxOC, GwenxArthurxMerlin, MorganaxDark!Gwaine.


**A/N: This fic has a bit of time jumping, so with with :) if anything doesn't make sense, please say so! **

**This chapter is LeonxOC, but I promise, MerlinxArthurxGwen eto with come in the next chapter!**

'Are you sure you're OK?' The warm breeze wavers Leon's voice, gently, but still slightly altering the dulcet bittersweet tones Anna knew so well. She shifted slightly, the rock she had taken as her chair had been digging into her thigh. Her ankle flicked out pain that laced up her leg, and she winced.

Anna sighed. 'Nope. But, em, I'll live. What about you?' Her eyes squint in the sunlight to look at her companion. The skin above his left eyebrow was bruised from where the attackers struck. It was healing well, but she still worried about him.

'Never better,' Leon laughs. She had always loved his laugh.

They sat in silence for a moment, watching the birds swooping down over the lake. The mountains and the trees reminded her of home, but home was far away now. In the distance, Anna heard the chirping of a lark.

'Do you think we can move on, or do you need to rest?' Leon hesitates. He knew she couldn't take another step, but he also knew she sure as hell wasn't going to stop now. He awaited her reply with trepidation and dread, somewhat abated by the breeze and the birds.

Anna looked around. Her eyes fell on a red butterfly, dancing on the wind. It spirals down towards a nearby flower, and lands softly with a gentle beat of its wings. 'It's going to get dark soon,' she says, 'we can't stay here.'

She uses her battered wrists to haul herself up and puts her weight gingerly on her ruined ankle. For a moment, she is balanced, then cries out as the pain overflowed her senses and the next thing she knows, the ground has rushed up to meet her, smearing mud across her stinging cheek. Leon rushes down after her and cradles her head.

'You are going anywhere,' she was ordered. But she still shook her head.

'Not here.'

Leon sighs, 'Well then what do you propose?'

This was not what she has been expecting. Anna felt the blood rush to her head and her cheeks burn with a tingle, yet being slumped over Leon's shoulder was surprisingly comfortable. Her companion smiled, but she couldn't see. They travelled like this for a while, making small talk, laughing, even thinking outside of their...'situation', as it were. But settling down for the night was a different story.

Anna liked sleeping curled up, but with her leg broken it was impossible. Leon tried to compensate by offering her his cloak as an extra layer, but she refused. Being civil to him was, enough. Being friendly was too much for now.

Silence fell with the going down of the sun.

'_I just want to be alone.'_

_Leon unsheathed his sword and laid it on the table. 'I'm afraid I can't allow that. Not under these circumstances.' He sat on the lone chair beside the door, awaiting the ending of the warning bell's relentless ring. His senses were on full alert - there was a witch loose in the castle, and he wasn't going to let Anna get hurt._

_Anna smiled. 'You really don't understand do you?' she said. It wasn't a question, but a matter-of-fact. The bed creaked as she shuffled to the top end, hugged her knees to her chest and looked longingly out of the window. The full moon gently filtered its way through the glass window and sprinkled its caressing embrace on her face. _

_Leon gave no reply. _

_'I have to tell you something, Leon,' Anna muttered. _

_He didn't even move. _

_She sighed and ran her head through her hands, feeling her hair slide through her fingers. As her arms fell, her fists clenched and she forced the words out through her lips. 'It was me, Leon,' she confessed. 'Those guards are looking for me. I have magic.'_

_'I know,' Leon assented. _

'Wakey wakey, sleepy head,' Anna whispers, hand resting softly on the side of Leon's face. Her voice stirs him, like the dream of a memory had suddenly become real. His eyes slowly open, and he sees Anna leaning over him, face full of sorrow. But despite her sadness, she acquiesced him a grin that would light fires in the darkest of days.

'Good morning,' Leon mumbles sleepily. He looks around, struggling to gain his bearings. The sunlight is strong, and he doesn't recognise where they are anymore. It takes a moment, then he realises that he hasn't moved.

'What time is it?' he asks cautiously.

Anna looks into the sky and rapidly calculates in her head. 'Perhaps about midday now,' she replies. 'There was no point in waking you earlier, you were exhausted.'

'Midday?' Leon cries incredulously, leaping up from the forest floor. 'We have to get moving!'

Anna knew this was going to happen. He bundles together his sword, cloak and senses before his eyes finally fall upon the two rabbits spit roasting on the small fire she constructed. She sees his eyes light up - Anna could always tell when he was hungry, and knew it now.

'Don't you want any breakfast, then?' Anna jests. She pulls herself to her feet using a nearby tree and stumbles over to the fire.

'How did you get them?' Leon says excitedly, rushing over to the fire with a gleam in his eye.

'They were sitting over by a nearby rock,' Anna narrates, 'so I took hold of the opportunity. Still, didn't make it any easier...' She trails off, eyes firmly focused on the spot where they had appeared.

Leon curses and corrects himself. 'I had forgotten about your vow,' he admits. 'I'm sorry you felt you had to break it on my account.'

Anna pulls herself together. Yes, it wasn't easy to turn back on her Peace Vow, but if she was going to break it for anyone, it was Leon. Besides, she had broken it by saving his life and taking his attacker's in the forest all those days ago.

_It had been nothing more than a chance encounter (Anna had lost faith in fate a long time ago) when Anna had heard the clashing of metal on metal whilst out on a walk. Curiosity was in her nature from birth, so she couldn't resist taking a peak. Imagine her raw surprise when she saw a lone Knight of Camelot struggling to beat a single renegade, and Sir Leon nonetheless. The noble warrior fell pray to the amateur's hand more than once as she watched in horror, fear clutching her gut. She had no sword of her own, but a weapon much more powerful inside her. Yet she hadn't used magic in over a decade, not since...The Incident. Magic was dangerous. It had killed, was destroying, and would do so for many centuries after hers. She had sworn never to use such a force ever again. _

_The battle tore on, tore at Leon, tore at her conscience. A blow was dealt. Leon fell. His knees collided with the ground. The renegade held his metal high. Anna's heart was in her mouth, and before her helpless sight, it spoke for her. The chant was a distant whisper of an echoing memory, but every word was perfect. 'I gceist le haghaidh na cuileoga, na gaoithe, a thógáil an fear a cónra ar a mhéid,' she yelled. Her feet rushed over the ground as her mind recoiled to let her heart take over. Her hand was outstretched, her soul wild. The attacker heard her cries and turned, but it was too late. The summoned gale threw him back, spine smashing against the thick trunk of a tree. She heard the snap and end of his life. The wind barely lifted the hair from her shoulders, and left Leon completely untouched. _

_Her cheeks burned when he looked at her. It took him some time to recognise her, but when he did, there were so many emotions spreading across his face Anna could neither tell whether he was pleased to see her, or distressed, or angered. Either way, the initial wave of emotion was overridden by a shout from his mouth. _

_'Get down!' Leon screamed. Anna paused, confused, and turned. Another renegade had appeared, and struck her shoulder, twisting her body awkwardly and throwing her off balance. She felt her ankle flop and turn the wrong way, and knew she wasn't getting up. Her calf resonated a distinct crack. _

_Leon's sword pierced the man before he could deal the next blow, and he rushed to her side. Blood fell from his wounds, and she thought, if only for a moment, there was a tear that joined the scarlet waterfall on his cheek. _

'How much longer until we get there?' Anna asks, trepidation unmasked in her voice.

Leon sighs, the heaving of his chest lifting and rocking Anna on his shoulder. 'A few more hours, that's all, I promise. You can almost see Camelot from here.'

'Then put me down,' she orders.

Leon pauses. 'Why would I do that? We're almost home.'

'Exactly.'

Struggling to understand Anna's wishes, Leon carefully lets her down, holding onto her arm in case she collapsed again. 'I wish to walk,' she states.

'Walk?' Incredulous, Leon protests. He doesn't release his grasp. She tries to shake him off, but almost falls over in the process.

'Like you said,' she explains, 'there's not much further to go. And you need to conserve your strength. No doubt you'll be getting a hero's welcome when you return. Arthur alone will have been worried sick about you.'

'Even so, you'll only do more damage if you walk the whole way!'

Anna insists. He has no choice but to back down. He struggles to watch her struggle, constantly on edge as she limps along. Her auburn hair begins to soak up sweat on her forehead. Her hands shake, but she goes on. It was an inspiring sight, but Leon couldn't help but worry. He always worried about Anna. Constantly. Even after-

There was a scream. Anna was on the floor, but wasn't moving. Something didn't feel right.

Anna awakes in an alien but familiar chamber, a thin white blanket draped over her like snow. She is alone. She studies her surroundings, and eventually finds herself to be in Gaius' rooms. It had been a long time since this had been her home, but she was amazed at how little it had changed.

The door opens to reveal the withered physician, who bears a bowl of water, a cloth and a smile. He goes to her side, and soaks the cloth for her forehead. 'You could have sent a note to say you were alright, you know,' Gaius muses. Shame turns Anna's eyes away.

'I didn't want to be anyone's burden anymore,' she cites.

Gaius presses the cloth to her skin. The water is cold and soothing. She relaxes a little. 'That plan didn't work very well did it?' Gaius lectures, 'Because from what I've been told, Leon carried you halfway back here. I'd hardly call that "not being a burden", would you?'

'I walked more than he carried,' Anna retorts.

'Which slowed you down, and allowed your leg to get infected,' he scolds. 'That's what caused you to lose consciousness. Don't worry though, it's been treated.'

Anna raises an eyebrow. 'How? You know as well as I do, infections that serious tend to be fatal do they not?'

'Well it's good for you that I'm a very good and very old physician.'

'And that you and your new ward have magic,' Anna smiles.

It was Gaius' turn to raise his eyebrow, a trait he had mastered quite well over the years it has to be said. 'How did you know about Merlin?' he quizzes her.

'The creaky floorboard you stepped on when you came in is where I used to hide my magic books, and given that it hasn't changed - and I know how much you hate squeaky floors - and the clothes, and mess if I must be frank, I would say you have a new lodger,' Anna finishes with a knowing look.

Gaius shakes his head with a chuckle to himself. 'I see you've kept your sharp senses then.'

'Naturally,' she says. 'Now who is this kid? I'd love to meet my replacement.'

'Merlin isn't a replacement. No one could quite replace you,' Gaius contents. Here he smiles. 'Although,' he says, 'he's putting up a fight to gain your trouble maker title.'

Anna affirms, 'Now that I'd love to see.'

There's a noise from behind the door and a voice calls out. Two sets of footsteps fumble their way inwards and towards the back room. Leon pokes his head over the shoulder of a raven haired boy. Leon smiles at her. Her unfamiliar looks her up and down briefly, then goes to the corner of the room and sits.

'How are you feeling?' Leon asks softly, taking her hand. Anna's first instinct is to recoil, but her reactions are still slow, and by the time she even thinks about it, she stays still.

'Better.' Her voice is weak and betrays her.

Gaius and the boy leave them alone.

Unexpectedly, Anna starts to cry. She doesn't understand it herself.

The splint takes some time to get used to, but eventually, Anna limps about with relative ease. Leon's shoulder becomes less of a necessity and more of a comfort. Her hand is there constantly, and when they're alone, so is her head. There's a relief to be had from being so close to him, and he feels it too. Neither of them say anything in the beginning. Silence is more than golden for them when presence is everything. As time goes on, a hand on a shoulder becomes a hand in hand. Words come with time. But it was nothing more than an escape from what was lying ahead. Anna and Leon knew that soon enough someone was going to notice. Wasn't that the witch that helped the Druids escape? But until then, it was enough just to hide. To limp before having to run.


End file.
